Sister Charlene Hockers

Cheerful spirit is a way to proclaim God's goodness

Sister Charlene or Carol Hockers was born in De
Pere in 1935 to Norbert and Margaret (Vercauteren) Hockers. She
attended St. Matthew Grade School and St. Joseph Academy in Green
Bay.

In 1953, she joined the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross
and was officially received a year later. It was through the
example of the Sisters in grade school and her great-aunt, Sister
Delphina, that attracted her to religious life.

She taught for a total of 25 years at Goodman, Howard, Denmark,
Darboy, Bear Creek, Green Bay, Dyckesville and Mishicot. During
these years, Sister Charlene earned her bachelor's degree in
education from St. Norbert College and a master's degree in
theology from St. Xavier College in Chicago. She also holds a
master's degree in pastoral ministries from St. Mary, Winona.

Sister Charlene moved into religious education ministry in 1981.
She served in Peshtigo for three years, three parishes in the
Gillett area for eight years, then at St. Nicholas in Freedom for
ten years. In 2004, she added care ministry to her religious
education responsibilities while serving at St. Mary and St.
Francis, De Pere. She retired in 2010 to care for her mother, who
died at 103 in September 2011.

In May 2012, she moved to St Francis Convent. In retirement,
Sister Charlene especially appreciates time for prayer, reading,
exercising and caring for her Sisters each day. She also
volunteers at St. Vincent Hospital and attends Learning in
Retirement classes at UW-Green Bay. Sister Charlene believes she
can proclaim the presence of God to others by being friendly and
cheerful to those she meets each day as well as being flexible and
adaptable to meet the needs of others.